Secret of Mana is a Square action RPG peak, three player local coop. Gorgeous, musical, essential for fans.
Your verdict
Category
Action RPG1 player12+
Co-op
Description
Action RPG in which Randi and allies seek the eight Mana Seeds to restore the Mana Tree. Published by Square, released in Europe in 1993. Real-time ring-menu combat, elemental magic, weapon and spell leveling and three-player simultaneous co-op. An absolute Square masterpiece and one of the finest Super Nintendo games.
Secret of Mana review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
MAX
Story
★★★★★
"Masterful"
Shimmering colours, round creatures and settings of fairytale gentleness: the Mana series unfurls an adventure world of luminous, soothing beauty. The finesse of the sprites and the pastel hues compose a warm universe. This art direction, refined and tender, illustrates the peak of the action JRPG on the console.
A Hiroki Kikuta masterpiece, the music deploys a score of rare beauty and textural richness, from the sublime "Fear of the Heavens" to spellbinding adventure themes. Each track wraps the quest for the Mana seeds in a deep emotion. This sonic elegance remains one of the absolute peaks of the JRPG.
A boy, a girl and a sprite join forces to save the Mana tree and the energy that flows through the world. Beneath the colourful adventure surface loss and a heartrending farewell, carried by an unforgettable trio. Its tenderness and ecological melancholy made it a beloved classic of the action RPG.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Striking in real time, charging your spells and progressing three-handed in co-op sets up an action-RPG of thrilling fluidity. Upgrading a weapon, unearthing a spell or opening a new region constantly rekindles the urge to push on. A few technical snags remain, but this colorful adventure grips for the long haul, especially in company.
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Setting off to find the eight Mana Seeds and revive the Tree leads Randi and his allies across a vast world where weapons and spells level up one by one. Pushing every weapon and every magic to its top tier takes perseverance, and the exploration teems with zones and secrets to flush out. Three-player co-op adds a convivial replayability that extends the joy. This Square masterpiece thus remains an adventure as long as it is unforgettable.
The European PAL SNES edition of Square's Seiken Densetsu 2 from 1994, the first Western release of the Mana line. The Rev 1 fixes several scrutinised bugs. The PAL cart is rarer than the US version and stands, alongside the US release, as one of the most identifiable RPG SNES collector pieces. PAL boxed CIB in the original cardboard box climbs hard, sustained by physical scarcity and by the canonical status of the real-time three-player combat system.
Memorable bosses
A real-time action RPG, this adventure pits the trio of heroes against outsized fantastical guardians, from the spiky tiger to the lich, up to the imposing Mana Beast as a climax. The charge gauge and ring menu invite you to bide your time and cooperate with up to three players. Colorful design, tense co-op fights and Kikuta's spellbinding themes make these bosses a stubborn memory.
Is Secret of Mana still worth playing in 2026?
Secret of Mana, known as Seiken Densetsu 2 in Japan, is a Square action RPG with real time combat and local co op for up to three on the same screen. The pastel art direction and Hiroki Kikuta's score remain unforgettable. The pacing shows some dead time and the original version retains known bugs, yet the magic persists, especially in co op. Recommended to action RPG fans and to retro duos or trios after a warm shared adventure to explore together.
